Congratulations Dr. George and Joan Jay!We are delighted that George and Joan Jay have been selected to receive the 2017 Humanae vitae Award! Join us to celebrate the annual Humanae vitae Mass and Award Reception on Thursday, July 27th, 2017 at Assumption Catholic Church in Morris, MN (Note: location change). Mass will begin at 7:00 p.m. with Bishop Donald Kettler presiding. The Humanae vitae Award Reception will follow with the presentation of the 2017 Humanae vitae Award to Dr. George and Joan Jay. Come celebrate!

The Institute for Family Studies recently published a
study,
The Millennial Success Sequence: Marriage, Kids, and the ‘Success Sequence’ Among Young Adults, revealing that millennials are much more likely to flourish financially if they follow the “success sequence”: getting at least a high school degree, working full-time, and marrying before having any children, in that order.

Other key points include:

While 55 percent of 28 to 34-year-old millennial parents had their first child before marriage, the vast majority of millennials who married before having any children are now steering clear of poverty and appear to be headed toward realizing the American dream. Additionally, 95 percent of millennials who married first are above the poverty line, compared to 72 percent who had children first.

Even millennials from low-income families are more likely to flourish if they marry before having children: 71 percent who married before having children made it into the middle or higher end of the income distribution by the time they were between 28-34. By comparison, only 41 percent of millennials from lower-income families who had children before marriage made it into the middle or higher end of the distribution when they were between 28-34.

The Pew Research Center recently released six facts about mothers in the United States. The stats show that the majority of women are having fewer children and working outside the home more than in years past, but also find parenting rewarding and joyful.
Posted on ForYourMarriage.org

In a recent global study, 84% of sons said their go-to source for information is their phone, vs. 13% who said they turn to dad first. With Father's Day on the horizon, Gillette is putting the spotlight back on father figures around the world by encouraging guys to turn to the better source of wisdom, and Go Ask Dad this Father's Day.
Article from All Pro-Dad

Counselor Shelby Hall published an article through Focus on the Family describing a session with a frustrated mother who was sharing a heated conversation she had had with her teen. The mother finally said, “I know I have to pick my battles; I just don’t know which ones to pick.”

“Her words reflect a common dilemma among the parents of teens,” Hall wrote. So how do parents pick the battles that will ultimately benefit their kids? Here are two principles Hall suggests that might provide some clarity:

Take time to understand the complexities of the teenage years. This will help you empathize with your teen when battles arise. Remember that constant changes, pressure to conform, anxiety about the future and personal insecurities can produce an enormous amount of stress. The teen years are some of the most difficult years to manage, and the battles at home are usually a direct reflection of a teen’s emotional state.

Prioritize the issues that are most important for your teen. Spouses should discuss which issues are non-negotiable, then communicate these expectations to their teen. Keep in mind that these issues will differ for every family. Although teens will still push the boundaries, pre-emptive communication will help defuse battles more quickly.

Want to learn more about which battles to pick, avoid and defer? Click HERE to read the full article. Article from Abstinence Clearinghouse

Internet Safety Month - July

Internet Safety Month offers parents the opportunity to refresh themselves on safe internet use and teach children how to be safe online throughout the summer months. The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and ConnectSafely kicked off the month offering tips on the following topics:

Gaming Safety for Parents and Teens

Child Phone Use

Safely Planning Summer Trips Online

Click
HERE to read the full article.
Still not sure how to address internet safety with your children? The following books from the Family Resource Store contain information about internet safety for children:
Click
HERE to purchase
Good Pictures Bad Pictures.

Respect Life

Quote of the day

"I am here as a private individual who on January 22, 1973, was robbed of his right as a citizen to participate in the public processes by which we as a people determine the outer limits of the human community. . . .[T]he thrust of my testimony has been to the point of reversing the privatization by the Court of decisions concerning protectable humanity, and toward the right of the people to decide matters of such crucial importance to our social compact through ongoing public debate and the political and legislative processes of this nation." - Testimony of Professor Paul Ramsey before the U.S. Senate, March 7, 1974. From http://www.endroe.org/

Natural Family Planning

It’s time! Say “Yes” to God’s plan for married love. Natural Family Planning

Celebrate Natural Family Planning (NFP) Awareness Week July 23-29, 2017! Take this opportunity to learn about NFP and God's plan for married love. A First Instruction in the Billings Ovulation Method will be offered in:

Join us for the annual Humanae vitae Mass and Award Reception July 27, 2017 at Assumption Catholic Church in Morris, MN. (Note: Location Change) The celebration will begin with Mass at 7:00 p.m. with Bishop Donald Kettler presiding. The Humanae vitae Award Reception will follow Mass. We will honor Dr. George and Joan Jay as they receive the 2017 Humanae Vitae Award!

Every month, 1.79 billion people actively use the social media site Facebook. On average, each user spends 50 minutes a day using the site. This is not a staggering statistic until you contrast time spent participating in other leisure activities.

In the U.S., Americans spend just 19 minutes, on average, reading each day and just 17 minutes on exercise, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So the nearly one hour spent on Facebook is significant; it’s about the same amount of time spent eating and drinking (just over one hour).

A study out of Denmark concluded that excessive time spent on Facebook can negatively affect one’s well-being and create “unrealistic social comparisons.” Facebook users who took a one-week break from the site reported significantly higher levels of life satisfaction and reported significantly improved emotional life.

If you’re a regular Facebook user interested in increasing your well-being, you may consider significantly limiting your usage or quitting the site for good. The researchers suggested making adjustments in your usage behavior could be enough to prompt positive change. Consider downloading an app like Moment or BreakFree to help you track and reduce the amount of time you spend on social media sites each day.